1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to charge pump circuits generally, and particularly to charge pump circuits for automatic gain control (AGC) circuits.
2. Background Art
AGC circuits are used to provide an output of relatively constant amplitude from an input of varying amplitude. AGCs provide a relatively constant output by providing a gain inversely proportional to the input amplitude. Thus, if the input amplitude is decreased, the AGC provides increased gain to maintain constant output amplitude. If the input amplitude is increased, the AGC provides decreased gain to main constant output amplitude.
AGCs are useful for many applications. One example involves the reading of data from a disk drive. Information on a disk drive may have been recorded at different recording levels or variations may exist across the media. As a result, signals read from a disk drive may differ in amplitude. To ensure proper reading of signals of different amplitude, an AGC may be used to adjust the signal to a desired amplitude.
An AGC must be relatively insensitive to spikes or transient variations in the incoming signal. Thus, AGCs are often designed to adjust amplifier gain gradually or incrementally, rather than instantaneously. By responding to changes in the input signal gradually, spurious signals can be ignored.
To avoid saturating the amplifier or associated circuitry, an AGC must maintain amplifier gain in a range that keeps the output below an excessive level. Saturation must be avoided because it results in distortion of the signal and can reduce the accuracy of data derived from the signal. It is often desirable to have an AGC increase amplifier gain at a different rate than it decreases amplifier gain. For example, an AGC is often designed to decrease gain more quickly than it increases gain. Thus, if the input signal changes from high amplitude to low amplitude, gain is increased gradually to maximize immunity to transients and to avoid overshooting the desired gain and saturating the amplifier. However, if the input signal changes from low amplitude to high amplitude, gain is decreased more rapidly to keep the amplifier output below the level of saturation.
It is desirable to have an AGC circuit maintain a fairly constant peak to peak level of a signal rather than a constant average level. If an AGC circuit maintained a constant average level, signals having a large dynamic range could be amplified excessively, leading to saturation of signal processing components. A signal having a large dynamic range varies greatly in amplitude, being at a low amplitude some of the time, but also reaching high peak amplitudes. By normalizing the peak to peak level rather than the average level, the gain is adjusted to maximize amplitude without causing amplitude peaks to saturate the signal processing circuitry.
To normalize the peak to peak amplitude of the signal, it is desirable to provide a faster rate of gain decrease than the rate of gain increase. Peaks occurring in the signal cause the AGC circuit to reduce gain, while low amplitude portions of the signal cause the AGC circuit to increase gain. Thus, to follow peaks, an AGC circuit should be more responsive to peaks (by decreasing gain rapidly) than to low amplitude portions.
A typical AGC circuit includes a charge pump, a capacitor and a voltage controlled amplifier. The voltage controlled amplifier receives an input signal, amplifies it by an amount determined by a control voltage input and produces an amplified output. The amplified output is used to control the charge pump. The charge pump is coupled to the capacitor and moves charge into and out of the capacitor, thus changing the voltage across the capacitor. The capacitor is coupled to the control voltage input of the voltage controlled amplifier. As the voltage across the capacitor changes, the control voltage input of the voltage controlled amplifier changes, resulting in a change in the gain of the voltage controlled amplifier. Thus, a change in the signal at the input of the charge pump can change the gain of the voltage controlled amplifier. Since the input of the charge pump is controlled by the output of the voltage controlled amplifier, a loop is formed where a change in the output of the amplifier can result in a change in gain of the amplifier.
An AGC circuit is typically used to maintain a signal within a limited amplitude range. When the amplitude at the output of the voltage controlled amplifier exceeds the upper limit of the desired range, the charge pump moves charge into or out of the capacitor to change the voltage of the control input of the voltage controlled amplifier and reduce its gain. By reducing the amplifier gain, the amplitude of the output of the voltage controlled amplifier will be reduced until it is within the desired range. When the amplitude at the output of the voltage controlled amplifier falls below the lower limit of the desired range, the charge pump moves charge out of or into the capacitor to change the voltage of the control input of the voltage controlled amplifier and increase its gain. By increasing the amplifier gain, the amplitude of the output of the voltage controlled amplifier will be increased until it is within the desired range.
FIG. 4 illustrates an AGC circuit. The AGC circuit includes voltage sources VPG, vin and VRC; AGC amplifier AGCA; AGC amplifier control block AGCB; charge pump CHP; filter FILTER; full wave rectifier FWR; digital-to-analog converter AGCDAC; buffers ABUFF, CBUFF and DBUFF; capacitors Cbyp, CIA, CIA*, COA, COA*, COD, COD*, CON and CON* and outputs LEVEL, AGCLVL, COUT and DOUT.
The first terminal of voltage source vin is coupled to the first terminal of capacitor CIA*. The second terminal of capacitor CIA* is coupled to node VIA*, which is coupled to the first input of AGC amplifier AGCA. The second terminal of voltage source vin is coupled to the first terminal of capacitor CIA. The second terminal of capacitor CIA is coupled to node VIA, which is coupled to the second input of AGC amplifier AGCA. The first output of AGC amplifier AGCA is coupled to node VOA*, which is coupled to the first terminal of capacitor COA*. The second terminal of capacitor COA* is coupled to node IN*, which is coupled to the first input of filter FILTER. The second output of AGC amplifier AGCA is coupled to node VOA, which is coupled to the first terminal of capacitor COA. The second terminal of capacitor COA is coupled to node IN, which is coupled to the second input of filter FILTER.
The first output of filter FILTER is coupled to node OD, which is coupled to the first terminal of capacitor COD. The second terminal of capacitor COD is coupled to node CP, which is coupled to the first input of buffer CBUFF. The second output of filter FILTER is coupled to node OD*, which is coupled to the first terminal of capacitor COD*. The second terminal of capacitor COD* is coupled to node CN, which is coupled to the second input of buffer CBUFF. The output of buffer CBUFF is coupled to output COUT. The third output of filter FILTER is coupled to node ON, which is coupled to the first terminal of capacitor CON. The second terminal of capacitor CON is coupled to node DP, which is coupled to the first input of buffer DBUFF and to the first input of full wave rectifier FWR. The fourth output of filter FILTER is coupled to node ON*, which is coupled to the first terminal of capacitor CON*. The second terminal of capacitor CON* is coupled to node DN, which is coupled to the second input of buffer DBUFF and to the second input of full wave rectifier FWR. The output of buffer DBUFF is coupled to output DOUT.
Voltage source VPG is coupled to the positive terminal of voltage source VRC and to the first terminal of capacitor Cbyp. The negative terminal of voltage source VRC is coupled to digital-to-analog converter AGCDAC, full wave rectifier FWR, AGC amplifier control block AGCB and charge pump CHP. An output of digital-to-analog converter AGCDAC is coupled to node AGC.sub.-- DAC, which is coupled to charge pump CHP and to output AGCLVL. An output of full wave rectifier FWR is coupled to node FWR.sub.-- OUT, which is coupled to charge pump CHP and to the input of buffer ABUFF. The output of buffer ABUFF is coupled to output LEVEL. An output of charge pump CHP is coupled to node AGCOUT, which is coupled to the second terminal of capacitor Cbyp and to AGC amplifier control block AGCB. An output of AGC amplifier control block AGCB is coupled to a control input of AGC amplifier AGCA.
An AC input signal is provided by voltage source vin and is coupled to AGC amplifier AGCA at nodes VIA and VIA* through capacitors CIA and CIA*. After amplification of the signal at the appropriate amount of gain by AGC amplifier AGCA, the signal is output to nodes VOA and VOA* and coupled to nodes IN and IN* through capacitors COA and COA* into filter FILTER. Filter FILTER performs the desired filtering of the signal. The filtering may include whatever signal processing is appropriate for the intended application. The output of filter FILTER is provided to nodes 0D and OD* and coupled to nodes CP and CN through capacitors COD and COD* and into buffer CBUFF. Buffer CBUFF buffers the signal and provides output COUT. The output of filter FILTER is also provided to nodes ON and ON* and coupled via capacitors CON and CON* to nodes DP and DN and into buffer DBUFF, as well as into full wave rectifier FWR. Buffer DBUFF buffers the signal and provides output DOUT.
Full wave rectifier FWR rectifies the AC signal received from nodes DP and DN and provides an output at node FWR.sub.-- OUT, which is supplied to buffer ABUFF and to charge pump CHP. The output of buffer ABUFF is available at output LEVEL. The output of AGCDAC appears at node AGC.sub.-- DAC, is available at output AGCLVL and is supplied to charge pump CHP.
Charge pump CHP compares the output of full wave rectifier FWR at node FWR.sub.-- OUT to the output of digital-to-analog converter AGCDAC at node AGCDAC. Charge pump CHP pumps charge into or one of capacitor Cbyp at node AGCOUT in response to changes in the relationship between FWR.sub.-- OUT and AGC.sub.-- DAC. If the potential at node FWR.sub.-- OUT exceeds the potential at node AGC.sub.-- DAC, charge pump CHP pulls charge from capacitor Cbyp, causing AGC amplifier control block AGCB to lower the gain of AGC amplifier AGCA. If the potential at node FWR.sub.-- OUT is less than the potential at node AGC.sub.-- DAC, charge pump CHP pushes charge into capacitor Cbyp, causing AGC amplifier control block AGCB to raise the gain of AGC amplifier AGCA. Alternatively, the charge pump may push charge instead of pulling charge to lower the AGC gain and pull charge instead of pushing charge to raise the AGC gain. Regardless of the relative relationships of capacitor charge to AGC gain, an in balance between node AGC.sub.-- DAC and node FWR.sub.-- OUT causes charge pump CHP to alter the charge on capacitor Cbyp, causing AGC amplifier AGCA to adjust its gain.
AGCs are sometimes designed to allow multiple rates of gain increase and multiple rates of gain decrease. If an input signal increases only gradually and does not threaten to result in amplifier saturation, the AGC may decrease gain gradually without risk of saturation. However, if the input signal rapidly increases to a level that would result in saturation, the AGC decreases gain more rapidly to avoid saturation. If the input signal decreases in amplitude, the risk of saturation is not present, so gain may be increased gradually. However, at certain planned transitions, such as power up or switching between data and servo mode, the need for a rapid increase in gain may be anticipated and a means for providing a rapid increase in gain may be desired. Thus, AGC circuits often provide for accelerated gain increase on command. An input is provided to allow a microprocessor or some other device to select accelerated gain increase when desired.
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art circuit for providing different rates of increase and decrease of gain for an AGC. The prior art circuit includes voltage sources VPG and VRC; current sources I1, I2, I3 and I4; transistors Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4; resistors R1 and R2; switch S1; inputs FDC, AGC.sub.-- DAC and FWR.sub.-- OUT; output AGCOUT and ground potential gnd. The negative terminal of voltage source VPG is coupled to ground potential gnd. The positive terminal of voltage source VPG is coupled to the positive terminal of voltage source VRC, to the collector of transistor Q1, to the collector of transistor Q3, to the first terminal of each of current sources I1 and I2. Input AGC.sub.-- DAC is coupled to the first terminal of resistor R2 and to the base of transistor Q3. The second terminal of resistor R2 is coupled to the first terminal of resistor R1 and to the base of transistor Q1. The second terminal of resistor R1 is coupled to the negative terminal of voltage source VRC. The emitter of transistor Q1 is coupled to the emitter of transistor Q2 and to the first terminal of current source I3. Input FWR.sub.-- OUT is coupled to the base of each of transistors Q2 and Q4. The second terminal of current source I2 is coupled to the first terminal of switch S1. The second terminal of switch S1 is coupled to the output AGCOUT, to the second terminal of current source I1 and to the collector of each of transistors Q2 and Q4. Input FDC is coupled to the third terminal, which is a control terminal, of switch S1. The emitter of transistor Q3 is coupled to the emitter of transistor Q4 and to the first terminal of current source I4. The second terminal of each of current sources I3 and I4 is coupled to ground potential gnd.
Voltage source VPG serves as the power supply for the circuit. Voltage source VRC provides a reference voltage. Resistors R1 and R2 form a voltage divider that places the base of Q1 at a voltage given by the following equation: ##EQU1##
Transistors Q1 and Q2 form a common emitter differential pair that compares input FWR.sub.-- OUT to the output of the voltage divider formed by resistors R1 and R2. Current source I3 is also part of the differential amplifier circuit of Q1 and Q2. The output of the Q1/Q2 pair is applied to output AGCOUT. Transistors Q3 and Q4 form a common emitter differential pair that compares the input FWR.sub.-- OUT to the input AGC.sub.-- DAC. Current source I4 is also part of the differential amplifier circuit of Q3 and Q4. The output of the Q3/Q4 pair is applied to output AGCOUT.
Current sources I3 and I4 supply current that is controlled by transistor pairs Q1/Q2 and Q3/Q4 to provide output AGCOUT. Current source I2 is switchably coupled to output AGCOUT to allow selection of current flow into output AGCOUT. Input FDC is used to control the selection of current source I2. When a low charging rate is desired from the charge pump, current source I1 is coupled to output AGCOUT and current source I2 is deselected. When a high charging rate is desired from the charge pump, both current sources I1 and I2 are coupled to output AGCOUT.
The differential pair of Q1 and Q2 provides a lower discharging current through relatively lower current source I3, while the differential pair of Q3 and Q4 provides a higher discharging current through relatively higher current source I4. Under normal operation, the circuit rarely operates in the higher discharge current mode. Thus, current source I4 is rarely needed. However, in this prior art circuit, current source I4 draws power even when not needed. When needed, current source I4 provides current flow through the collector of transistor Q4. When the higher discharge current is not desired, current source I4 is diverted through the collector of transistor Q3. Since current source I4 provides a relatively high current, maintaining this current when it is not needed results in an unnecessarily high quiescent current drain. High current drain is incompatible with battery-operated devices, such as laptop, notebook, or other small computers, which often have elaborate power management systems to maximize power conservation. Thus, a charge pump that minimizes current drain is desired.